The USA Today media outlet has ranked Pierre number 26 on its list of the 50 best places to live in the United States. Of the 50 cities on the list, 31 are located in the Midwest.
According to USA Today, the median home value in Pierre is $164,900 while the median household income is $54,868. Most American homeowners spend over $12,000 per year on housing. In Pierre, most spend less than $8,500 annually.
Lower housing costs allow residents to use their money on food, clothes or add it to their savings. Overall, the cost of living is lower in Pierre, as goods and services are 85 percent less expensive than they are on average nationwide.
According to the USA Today, Rapid City is the worst place to live in South Dakota. The unemployment rate of 3.2 percent, while lower than the 4.9 percent national rate, is above of South Dakota’s 2.8 percent unemployment rate. In Rapid City, 18.2 percent of residents live below the poverty line, compared to 13.3 percent of South Dakotans overall. USA Today says there are 724 violent crimes per 100,000 and Rapid City has a lower median annual household income than the state as a whole– $47,813 compared to $54,467 (a difference of $6654).
USA Today’s top five cities to live in are:
1. West University Place, TX
2. Mandan, ND
3. Perryton, TX
4. Dumas, TX
5. Winnetka, IL
Other South Dakota and North Dakota listings include:
16. Dickinson, ND
27. Jamestown, ND
38. Brandon, SD
50. Williston, ND
Link to USA Today story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/economy/2018/10/22/americas-50-best-cities-to-live/38207259/
